The Story of OstaraAuthor: Serenity Starbright Dilsworth (Owl) Posted: April 24th. 2011 Times Viewed: 4,502

Note: In 1996, I wrote this little story for my three-year grand daughter and of course, I used her for the little girl in the story. It is written for small children so that they may better understand why we have bunnies, eggs and lilies during Ostara.

Long, long ago, before you were born ...and before your mother was born ... and even before your mother's, mother's mother was born ... the world was a frozen land ... snow and ice was everywhere and Spring was late. She was very, very late and the cold breath of Father Winter swept over the lands keeping them covered with ice and snow.

Little Juliet was trudging through the snow searching for fallen branches to take home to her mother and father to use as kindling in the fireplace. The cold wind made her cheeks and nose a bright red and she shivered inside of her cloak.

"Brrrrrrr!" she said aloud. "It is so cold!" Her breath was visible in the air as she spoke and she pulled her woolen cloak more tightly about her. Juliet walked slowly through the tiny forest looking for the tips of small branches poking up through the snow. Her tiny little footprints followed her progress.

Juliet bent over to pick up a small branch from beneath a large old oak tree and started to put it in her bundle, whispering a thank you to the tree for providing the branches she needed when she saw a small, nearly frozen bird partially buried in the snow.

"Oh! Oh!" she cried as she dropped her bundle. She gently picked up the bird and held it inside her cloak to warm it. She could just barely feel it's little heart beating and she wept as she realized its wings and feet were nearly frozen off.

"Oh my Lady Eostar! Why have you forsaken us all!? Come and see what you have done for surely this bird will die because you are so late." Juliet cried aloud to the wintry skies.

Lady Eostar, the Goddess of Spring, heard Juliet's cry and she ran quickly across the heavens to find Little Juliet. She looked down from a cloud into the tiny forest and saw Little Juliet down among the trees. The wind was very fierce and even from so far away, the Goddess could see that she was clutching something tightly to her chest and sobbing loudly.

Quickly the Goddess donned her finest red robe and as Lady Eostar, the Goddess of Spring walked down from the heavens towards Little Juliet, the sky began to turn blue and when she reached the land, the snow and ice began to melt and the grass began to grow. The sun was soon shining brightly and wherever Lady Eostar, the Goddess of Spring, feet touched the ground, tall white lilies sprang up and opened their pristine trumpets.

As the Goddess approached Little Juliet, she said very softly, "Please don't cry Little Juliet, I am sorry I am so late. I truly did not mean to have done such a thing."

Little Juliet made a small curtsy (for she was a well-brought up little girl) and then she burst into tears.

"Oh my Lady ... you are too late!" she wept as she opened her cloak and held forth the body of the little frozen bird. The poor little bird had already died.”

Lady Eostar, the Goddess of Spring felt very, very sad.

"Do not cry, Little Juliet, I promise I will never be so late again. Let me see what we can do to make things right once more.

Lady Eostar, the Goddess of Spring, touched the poor little bird and it's wings fell from its frozen body and a blanket of soft white fur spread over it. Little Juliet watched in amazement as the little bird grew very long ears and strong back legs and a fuzzy little tail. Soon it began to wriggle in Juliet's hands.

Juliet's smile outshone the sun in her joy, and a little white bunny jumped down to the ground, it left a pastel colored egg in her hands. Lady Eostar, laughed merrily and told Juliet ... "There is my promise to you to never be so late again for whenever the rabbit comes to visit and leaves you a colored egg, you shall know that Spring is just around the corner and that I will soon be there."

The beautiful Goddess kissed Little Juliet and waved farewell as she walked back up into the bright blue sky and disappeared behind a small white cloud.

And that is the real reason why we have bunnies and colored eggs at Easter.

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